Chelsea v Leeds United: Javi Gracia urges 'aggressive' Leeds to prey on Blues' uncertainties

Leeds's issues towards the foot of the Premier League have been well documented and it's ultimately why the Spaniard received contact from the perturbed Elland Road hierarchy just under a fortnight ago in the wake of a meek, lily-livered defeat at fellow relegation candidates Everton.

The blues of London, and not just Merseyside, are also in a fair old state and are the story heading into this particular meeting at Stamford Bridge and not Leeds for once.

Another bad result would see chatter in the hostelries and coffee shops of Fulham Road and King's Road reach a crescendo regarding the future of the increasingly beleaguered Graham Potter, quite possibly the tipping point.

Leeds have not won on their travels at league level since a stunner at Anfield at the end of October.

It was an occasion when Leeds were full of energy, attacking ambition, desire and positive aggression and took their chances. As they did in the reverse fixture with Chelsea.

It is the template they will strive to follow on Saturday at a ground where United have not won so far this century. Their last five visits have all ended in defeat.

They face a Chelsea side who have failed to win any of their past six games in all competitions - the club's worst run since December 2012.

The Londoners have scored once in that run. They haven’t scored more than once in a game since December 27 with Leeds's remit being to prey upon the uncertainties of a flaky side struggling for answers in front of goal at the minute.

Gracia said: "I think it’s important to start very aggressive, to continue very aggressive and to finish more aggressive.

"To go to Stamford Bridge, it’s always very tough and I had that experience and I know how demanding the game will be.

"In this moment, with the necessity they have as well in terms of points, we have to be very focused and prepare for a demanding game.

"It’s true our results were not good, but against Southampton, we changed the dynamic. Now we need to keep going, it’s only a (one) game, we know how difficult it is to win one point in the Premier League.

"We have to be constant, very demanding with ourselves, we want to continue getting points."

As with Chelsea, Leeds have found league goals hard to come by of late, with their cup exit at nearby Fulham on Tuesday compounding matters on a night when profligacy, questionable officiating and plain old bad luck played its part.

All told, in ten Premier League matches since the resumption following the World Cup, United have scored a modest seven times.

In his opening week in charge, working on the team's shape, especially without the ball, was an understandable first port of call for Gracia and it will continue to be so.

Disciplined performances in that regard against Southampton and Fulham were fairly encouraging, with Leeds rarely opened up and conceding clear-cut chances.

Both goals against on Tuesday owed more to individual brilliance than anything. It was a lack of goals for which will have irked Gracia.

He continued: "I have to help the players improve, (but) we have to first create the chances in the game.

"It's individually trying to train more time to give them the confidence and security they need. It’s true after the game, you have to do it. In the game, I’m not there to finish (chances) with them.

"I think it depends on many things, the quality, luck, composure, the calmness to finish; many things. What you have to do is to finish well and it’s true we have a young team and we have to improve.

"The only way you can improve is to have more chances and live that experience. We need the goals. It’s true in the last game we had 16 shots and 12 were inside the box. Then the other team with only six and three into the box score two goals.

"The stats are clear, but football is not stats. We have to work on it, it depends on us."

Expect increased attention to be devoted to attacking drills aimed at sharpening up United's offensive work in the coming weeks at their Thorp Arch training base.

It's the next key building block and Gracia will at least be afforded precious time in the coming weeks when there are no midweek games to contend with, unlike this week.

He said: "Sometimes in a few days you are able to see the team playing in a way you like it, but with time you can work on more things, set-pieces, to press, to defend and attack.

"If you have time, it will be better. They are good students, they are very fast and not only are they good players, they have the right attitude."

Leeds were backed by a huge and raucous travelling contingent in West London in midweek. Another sell-out crowd will be at Chelsea.

Gracia added: "I’d like to tell all the supporters thank you as their support in the last game was amazing.

"I want to reward them with good results, good play and being together I'm sure we'll be stronger. It's something I would like to keep until the end of the season because I'm sure it will give us more points."